Turning Tides
by halphmen
Summary: Rey and Kylo Ren's last face off on the planet Mustafar. This is how I hope episode 9 ends. Mostly focuses on Reylo.


First off, I just saw The Last Jedi like a week ago and can't get it out of my head, especially all the Reylo hints that they were alluding to. The movie was overall okay, not terrible like others make it out to be but not great either. I just wanted to make this little one-shot fanfiction because I feel like there is no chance of Reylo ever being a real romantic thing at this point, but I really wish this is how the last film in the new trilogy will end.

Side note before reading this: I am thinking Snoke isn't dead, and that he's using his dark side powers to some how take control of Kylo Ren's body. With that said enjoy, and please leave a comment, I would really like to know your opinion on the movie too.

 **Star Wars opening crawl:**

The resistance is in a dire situation, their remaining forces are all huddled on Yavin and the First Order is approaching fast. Little did they know that this too is the First Order's final battalion. With the constant fighting that has raged for the last two years it's only a matter of time before one side will come out victorious.

Rey and Kylo Ren have been locked together through their force vision. Snoke might have been what allowed them to see each other, but their voices and minds would still connect ever so often. Rey still holding onto hope that Kylo can still be redeemed. Unbeknownst to her, Kylo Ren has had a clear vision of what his destiny is and now awaits Rey to fulfill it.

…

Rey said her goodbyes to her best friend Finn as she boarded the Millennium Falcon. His last words to her still lingered, "I love you." She too uttered these words to him. Their words did not contain any romance but more of a yearning to be able to see each other after this all ends and to live, and to be at peace.

As the falcon shoots into hyperspace she wiped a tear from her face. She knew this could be the last time she would ever see Finn, Poe, Chewie, or General Leia ever again. But this was a task she must face on her own.

"Are you coming to end this?" she heard a voice inside her head go off.

"Yes." she replied.

"I'll be waiting"

Kylo Ren's monotonous voice raced through her head repeatedly.

…

Kylo Ren looked up into the sky. Full of dark clouds hugged this desolate planet, the sun's light barely breaking the surface.

The sound of lava exploding throughout the many volcanos scattered across Mustafar ran in his ears. The hint of sulfuric gases being thrown into the air. He stood on the platform that his grandfather Darth Vader stood on the day he truly turned to the dark side.

His hand twitching to feel the raw strength that consumed his idol so long ago. As he waited patiently for his guest to come.

With a slight hmm, he saw it, his father's ship breaking through the motionless clouds and flying closer to him.

Kylo Ren's anticipation grew. His fingers lightly twitching the side of his lightsaber. The drop deck fell, the hiss of air that lightly blew out as the doors opened. Rey came out, dressed in her Jedi outfit very similar to the robes he saw her in two years ago, her hair slightly longer, and her skin less tan.

"Ben." she spoke. "We don't have to do this" she pleas.

He took her words in with a deep inhale. As if he could smell her aura radiating of her words.

"You have grown stronger than the last time we met" he said in his robotic pattern. "I have waited for this day, the offspring of dark and light can now settle this game of destruction once and for all."

His eyes betray his words. He looked at her with hope. Over the years through their mind link, they have gotten closer. Shared their fears, their desires, their love. Ben know he wanted nothing more than to end this internal torment of emotions that swirl within him.

Rey could sense this in him. For months after their incident where they fought side by side to defeat the red guards and the death of Snoke, she tried to block him out of her mind. But, the bond they shared was more than she could handle.

Their brief but deep conversations had yet again betrayed her heart. She cared for this monster, no she cared for Ben Solo. Not Kylo Ren. She would not admit it, but her connection with him was the most intimate she has ever had, her opposite. Should would wonder, if they lived in another time another place, far from here, would they be able to fully develop this unhealthy relationship into something more.

The same for him.

Rey walked closer to him, now merely yards away. She slowly reached out a hand, begging him to take it.

"We can go, leave now. The First Order, they will not win. I have seen it. Come with me Ben. Please."

Kylo looks at her. Her ever sweet words fill his mind, he wanted nothing more than to do what she says. Suddenly, a darkness pulls in him. It's Snoke. Even in death this sith still found a way to evoke the dark side within him. His mind closes, and her words are brought to deaf ears.

"You could, have joined me Rey. We could have ruled this worthless galaxy together. Bring balance to the force. Now I fear it's too late."

She walked closer. Her hand still out, waiting for his answer. "It's never too late, I will still forgive. You, told me this the last time we saw each other. Let the past die..."

Kylo Ren takes out his lightsaber and ignites it. "I am ready, how about you?"

She still would not let her hand drop. Her arm beginning to shake from exhaustion. "Even now you hold back... Vader's castle." she looks at the magnificent tower before them. "This is where it happened right? The transformation."

Kylo took a step closer, his hissing blade ready to strike her down. His last flickers of light disappearing. "Please don't make this harder than it has to be."

Rey closed her eyes, she could sense that the end is near. A loud thumping noise rising in her heart. Time slowed, as she heard his black boots pick up pace. His hands clutching the saber so tightly you can hear the tight leather gloves squeak. She then reaches for her back and pulls out her modified staff that in now a double-sided lightsaber and ignites it.

The clash in of pure energy could be heard ringing in their ears.

"Yes!" Kylo yells in delight. "Now show me your true power Rey!"

She pushes him away, and spins her saber. A cold silence between them, Kylo attacks again. Twirling his saber to the right, and then ferociously trying to cut through Rey's defensive position. He lashes out with his anger in every stroke, she could feel the hatred building up in him.

Rey did her best to guard all his advances, using her saber like a staff isn't easy considering there isn't as much flexibility to put her hands. She has trained hard for this, spinning her double blades to her front and right deflecting Kylo's every strike.

Kylo's attacks have started to become a bit sloppy, she could feel that his concentration off, not just physically but also mentally.

Seeing an opening as Kylo brought his flickering blade up for another strike, she reaches out with her right hand and force pushes him several yards back into a wall.

Kylo hit the wall with a hard thud, he could feel the wind getting knocked out of him. He shakes his head and takes a breath, his saber still tightly gripped in his hand.

His senses rang with danger, like a speeding bolt of lightning he dashed to his left just a Rey's bright blue blade slashed the wall, melting the metal into a glowing orange paste.

A few drops of sweat dripped down his temple as he got into a defensive position. Excitement grew in him as he could feel power raiding off her.

"Come on!" He screams at her.

Rey moves forwards like a lion ready to ambush its prey. Flipping her light saber with elegant motions she advances.

Their blades clash with immense heaviness, every time they made contact it felt as if a thousand pounds of weights would fall and crush them. Rey starts stabbing at him, trying to find ways to push him further back.

Kylo kept his distance, as he walked backwards trying to avoid her direct attacks.

Their battle made its way down to the ashy dirt beach next to Vader's Castle. It felt like they could melt at any second. Kylo's dark clothing made him feel entrapped, sticking in sweat, while Rey's life time living in Jakku couldn't even prepare her for the sucking dry atmosphere around them as they reach the bottom of a violent lava flowing river.

Getting a little close, Kylo was able to kick Rey sending her falling to the ground. Seeing this as an opening Kylo went in for a killing blow. Rey rolled to her side, and barely escape the red blade as it singed part of her robe.

Using the force, she pulls her twin bladed lightsaber to her, Kylo made a quick slash for her arm cutting the bottom of her saber.

Rey jumps back landed near a bolder which is halfway molten from the thrashing lava waves near her. She turns on her saber, now only one blade working.

Kylo, storms up to her and throws his shaking red beam down on Rey's blade.

"Don't do this Ben!" She cries at him.

"This is the only way to end this! You die, or I die!" he yells back at her.

Rey shakes her head, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Ben could see that Rey was doing her best to prolong this battle, she did not have the strength to end him. The dark side and Snoke was still pulling him in. His vision clouded by hate and anger. In his moment of mental distraction, Rey was able to push him a few feet away, ending their stance.

Rey holding onto her lightsaber, clutching it with both her hands so hard that her fingers started to cramp.

"Ben, fight the darkness. I see the light inside in you, stop this struggling!"

Snoke's hissing malice was ripping his brain apart. It would be only a matter of time before his master returns in his body. This entire fight was meant for her to kill him. He wanted her to end him, to finally be free of the dark.

"I never wanted this between us Rey!" He roars back at her. "When I first saw you, I saw nothing but a scavenger girl wanting nothing more than a home." He slashes his blade at her, and she moves back.

"Your parent's left you for nothing!"

Their blades clash once again, Rey makes a quick step to her right to put some more distance between them.

"Snoke, wanted your power. Everyone betraying you like some used junk!"

Tears forming around Rey's eyes as every word hit her with vast emotional burden. "And you?" She whispered.

He stayed quiet. His eyes facing the ground. The unbalance of the force raging within him. He finally looks up at her, so much regret in his eyes. "I needed you"

The world around them came to utter silence, as Rey choked up a little inside. Her heart felt deep, like a never-ending abyss. Ben charged at her, the crunching of his boots as every step pulled dirt out of the ground. She closes her eyes.

His soul nearly gone, only a small reminisce of him still flicker inside. His body moved forwards inches away from Rey's blade.

The sound of the lightsaber making contact brought Rey's eyes wide awake. She thought he has finally done it, that Kylo Ren as finally killed the last of Ben Solo left in him. That her life would fade away before her.

Instead she sees him standing in front of her, his saber down on the ground. And her blade sticking through him.

"BEN!" She cries, extinguishing her lightsaber as he fell in her arms.

"Why, why, why, oh god!" Tears running down her face like an uncontrollable river. She sank to her knees, one hand holding his silky raven hair while the other holding onto his torso. He laid on the ground, as she continues to mumble no coherent words.

He could feel it, Snokes dark energy disappearing from his body. His rage, his pent-up anger that has been consuming him for the pass decade flowing out of his physical form. Ben could feel his heart rate beating slower, his breaths slower but more violent. Trying his best so delve himself in her aura.

"Ben you stupid bastard, why!?" She touches his check, their faces only inches apart.

"You would have never completed your destiny otherwise." He breathed. "You are what balances the force, balances what was left of Ben Solo." His shaking hand makes it up to hers, holding it tightly with what strength he had left.

Rey looked at him in disbelief, she clutches his hand tighter. Ben has returned, she felt it. Gone was Snoke and Kylo Ren. "I don't know what to do." She mouths to him.

"Let me be at peace, Rey. Just don't leave, not this time." He tells her while looking deeply into those dark brown eyes.

Rey nods, leaning her head closer to his until their foreheads made contact.

….

The resistance has won the battle. There is widespread celebration throughout the galaxy. Down at the rebel base, a tired Finn and Poe run up to General Organa.

"General Leia, Rey can you sense her?" Finn asks in anticipation.

Leia stays quiet and doesn't answer.

A rush of anxiety falls upon him. "We have to go find her, check if she's alright." He said eagerly turning around to find the nearest space craft to board.

Leia grabs him before he could go. "No Finn, she will not be returning."

"What do you mean!" he grabs the aged lady and shakes her a little.

Leia looks at Finn, and tries to sooth him. "She has found her way."

….

On a distant desert planet, the Millennium Falcon lands. Rey doing her best to be gentle with the dying Ben Solo slowly helps him off. She lays him down on the soft blanket of sand. Holding onto him with what little energy she could spare.

"We made it." She said while looking into the distance. The great plain of nothingness surrounds them. "… It's amazing." She says, gazing at the horizon as two red suns start to crawl their way down.

Ben peers into the never-ending path of sand with the descending spheres of energy, then back at Rey. "Beautiful."


End file.
